Going Brood and a Half

[shudderdun]

Caught a cast swarm last year, Q did mate and they did make it through the Winter, I transfered them from the seven frame nuc to a National BB late April, Q was a little slow to start laying but as the season has moved on she has become a good layer

Query :-

I put a second super on last week before going away for eight days (I didnt have time to do a full inspection)

On return from my break yesterday I did a proper inspection of the brood box and see it is full of sealed brood, there isnt much space for Q to lay, Q spotted.

Just wondered if you could offer any advice please :-

With the BB having little space left and as we are moving through the season I obviously need to give Q more space, I dont have any drawn brood cone and would like to get something off this colony this season, so, seeing the first super was only about 75% full and the second being slowly filled, would it be a reasonable idea to put this second super under the BB and go brood and a half ?

Rather than put a fresh drawn super below I thought the "second" super would give the bees a bit of a start and I could always add another super above when required.

Many Thanks.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Caught a cast swarm last year, Q did mate and they did make it through the Winter, I transfered them from the seven frame nuc to a National BB late April, Q was a little slow to start laying but as the season has moved on she has become a good layer

Query :-

I put a second super on last week before going away for eight days (I didnt have time to do a full inspection)

On return from my break yesterday I did a proper inspection of the brood box and see it is full of sealed brood, there isnt much space for Q to lay, Q spotted.

Just wondered if you could offer any advice please :-

With the BB having little space left and as we are moving through the season I obviously need to give Q more space, I dont have any drawn brood cone and would like to get something off this colony this season, so, seeing the first super was only about 75% full and the second being slowly filled, would it be a reasonable idea to put this second super under the BB and go brood and a half ?

Rather than put a fresh drawn super below I thought the "second" super would give the bees a bit of a start and I could always add another super above when required.

Many Thanks.

Why not replace brood frames that are honey bound . that will free up some space.. I would of put another half above the brood they will draw it out very quickly if the queen needs space . one of my brood/half hives had a super two weeks ago they have drawn it out and the queen has filled it full of eggs it also has lots of honey capped and pollen.

 

[colinc]

Similar to my old 2015 lead colony. They were the same as that 10 days ago she suddenly laid up a storm, if you leave her with no space it will be full of swarm cells in a week so I would give her another B.B. or at least a super to lay in as soon as possible and hope they don’t already have the fever.
The drawn super will cost a little less honey to prep for laying than foundation in a BB but different size frames make manipulation of brood more tricky.

Either way it is your choice but she needs space unless you want the second colony from them


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[drex]

If needed I now use double brood. Tried brood and half for a couple of years in my early days and found it too inflexible with the different size frames. If they store too much honey in the deeps I can always rearrange the frames or leave it for them for winter and not have to feed. Most of my home bred mongrels are capable of using two deeps for brood, though, as I keep them young.

 

[Finman]

.
When it is a swarm, let them do what they do. Not much need to manage them.

After 4 weeks of swarm capture, the swarm hive gets its first new workers. Before that it was short of foragers. Half of bees have died in working. It hardly can forage more honey.

 

[Finman]

Most of my home bred mongrels are capable of using two deeps for brood, though, as I keep them young.

One colony does not act like average or " most". You see it later what it does.

 

[shudderdun]

Decided to go double brood, knocked up 10 frames with fresh foundation and kept the same brood shape between the two boxes.
So glad I did go double now, I did it early evening, wish I had done it mid day when more of the bees were out there were masses of them, dont think they will take long to draw the foundation.
Thanks Curly and All for your advice !

 

[colinc]

Decided to go double brood, knocked up 10 frames with fresh foundation and kept the same brood shape between the two boxes.
So glad I did go double now, I did it early evening, wish I had done it mid day when more of the bees were out there were masses of them, dont think they will take long to draw the foundation.
Thanks Curly and All for your advice !

I think that you made the right choice. Brood and a half is a pain in the ariss. if they are very crowded make sure you check for swarm cells in a week. mine capped some in 8 days from crowded.

 

[mickbees23]

As I was informed recently, Winnie the Poo says " you never can tell with bees "

I have colonies in nationals on brood and half that have 12 full frames of brood in the BB and none at all in the 1/2, some have 10 in the BB and 8 in the 1/2 and some with 2 full double brood that could have even gone 2 & 1/2. I have never seen so many bees ever before. I am out of equipment now and probably not maximising production as with working 6 days a week I am restricted getting supers off and back on.

Brood & 1/2 works very well for me as long as I put the 1/2 underneath the BB. Putting it on top encourages queen cell production in my experience and opinion, but that's my bees in my area. It won't be the same for all.

Double brood is a good choice until you see what they are capable of and at least you should get some drawn brood frames if nothing else.

 

[Curly green fingers]

A bit of info for you, I went to look at my double brood last night 730pm ish .... And they've swarmed they were hanging in a liquid amber tree 15 metres away . I had to drive 6 miles to borrow I can only describe as a box on a stick.... I've manage to get them in to a single Nat's hive a lot of bee though for such a small box . I've left them in the hive under the tree until today when I'm going to find the queen and kill her as she is old and unite in two days time with this years queen . I'm going to use air freshener this time . what a shock I had . I'll never go to an apiary site again without any equipment . you live and learn. I'll be going through the hive that the swarm came out of to see what surprises I've got.

This is my first swarm to be court ,just a shame I missed the event.
Cheers mark.

 

[Wingy]

Just gone double brood myself on Langstroth. One of my new Q’s is laying like a machine and my first 2 supers have had loads of pollen. Hopefully they will sort things out and give her some more space to lay.